The proposed $6.5 million project will widen Woodlands Parkway across Lake Woodlands from four lanes to six from Grogan's Mill Drive to East Panther Creek Drive.

During a public hearing last year in September, residents who live on the Panther Trail Golf Course, which is adjacent to Woodlands Parkway, voiced their concerns that additional lanes would create more noise and ultimately bring down the quality of life.

Leon said the environmental assessment showed there would be a minimal impact on noise.

He said the results of the environmental study will be available to the public in a few weeks.

According to the integrated noise model, the way in which noise levels are calculated, the noise level would increase by only two decibels. The federal government requires a residential area be exposed to no more than an average of 67 decibels of sound energy from roads, Leon said. The highest sound energy in the area would be less than 67 decibels, he said.

"The final assessment stands that the increase in noise does not meet the criteria for the Federal Highways Administration to justify noise mitigation," TxDOT spokeswoman Raquelle Lewis said. "It's not expected to exceed that 67 (decibels) and that's primarily why it is in compliance with the Federal Highway Administration."

That comes as a little bit of bad news to residents like Larry Vernier who hoped some sort of noise barrier could be installed. Vernier said he is in favor of the road expansion but said he also wanted some sort of noise abatement. The decibel level at Vernier's home is among the highest in the area, according to the noise assessment.

More Information

Parkway plans

TxDOT is overseeing the proposed widening of Woodlands Parkway from four lanes to six from Grogan's Mill Road to East Panther Creek in The Woodlands. The proposed project would require no additional right-of-way, no displacements and no loss of forest reserve land.

Cost of the project: $6.5 million dollars

Length: 1.23 miles

Project begins: This fall

Project ends: About one year

Current traffic estimate: 53,700

2035 traffic estimate: 64, 700

"I've been in The Woodland for 12 years, I love The Woodlands, but this is going to severely hurt the quality of life for me and my fellow residents," Vernier said.

One way Vernier and other residents agreed the expansion will help is by relieving some of the dense traffic that comes during morning and afternoon rush hours.

About 53,700 vehicles travel the road each day and that number is expected to jump to 64,700 by 2035, officials said.

Tree and brush clearing for the project has just started.

The project will continue a trend of expansion efforts along the Woodlands Parkway over the last two years.

In 2010, two separate sections of Woodlands Parkway were widened from four to six lanes between East Panther Creek and Gosling roads and between Gosling and Kuykendahl roads.

In a separate project, Montgomery County continues to purchase land for right-of-way acquisition for an eventual expansion 7.5-mile expansion of Woodlands Parkway from FM 2978 to Texas 249 in the next 10 to 15 years.